Every week we highlight the voices of real people that contact our Helpline every day. Once a week you will be introduced to a family whose life has changed for the better due to health reform. If you or anyone you know needs assistance applying for free or low-cost health care coverage, please contact our Helpline online, or call 1-800-272-4232. Here’s this week’s story:
Ana (not her real name) is a 26-year old woman who works as a house keeper. Her husband works as a construction laborer, and they have a 5-year old son. During Ana’s pregnancy in 2003, she had seen the growth of a big, thick vein that spanned from her inner thigh all the way down toward her ankle. While she realized it was a concern, she didn’t know what do about it. There was constant pain and burning, and she feared poor blood circulation or clots. She had always wanted to have this vein treated, but she couldn’t afford medical care.
Ana says that her whole family was completely uninsured from 2003 until the start of Commonwealth Care. Soon thereafter she found out about the Health Care For All Helpline, and could find some help completing the applications. Ana is very happy that her family is covered by Commonwealth Care. Ana and her husband are now both enrolled in Commonwealth Care with a monthly premium of $39 each, and their son is eligible for MassHealth.
Now that she has the opportunity to go to the doctor for regular visits, Ana asked her doctor about the vein in her leg. The doctor recognized this as a serious condition, and not just a cosmetic problem. Her doctor said she had a type of varicose vein that some women develop during pregnancy. If not treated in time, the vein has a tendency to grow and cause even more pain and may contribute to a higher risk of other circulatory disorders.
Ana’s treatment began in 2007, when she had laser therapy. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t satisfactory. Looking for better results, her specialist scheduled her for surgery, and in just two weeks, she had the affected veins removed. On a recent phone call, Ana expressed her feelings in her own words:
“It is really a dream come true. Since my pregnancy and the appearance of the varicose vein on my right leg I was never the same person. I had no energy at all. I was always on pain medication and looking for ice packs to deal with the burn and discomfort. And just the thought that it could cause me heart problems made me so nervous, and panicky. Now I’m just so happy that it’s fixed. I recently had my surgery done, and the result so far has been great. We are all very happy about the health coverage. Not only because of the immediate solution of our problems, but especially because it gave us the opportunity to have a better and healthier life. We are also very grateful to Health Care For All who helped me a lot with all kinds of information and orientation needed to apply for Commonwealth Care. Every time I needed any kind of information I could find it at the Helpline quickly and efficiently.”
Monika Lira Malhoit
